The Council of Governors has appointed Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Richard Ngatia its special business adviser on trade and investment.
The appointment follows a cooperation pact between the CoG and KNCCI to support post Covid-19 recovery of Small and Medium Enterprises in the counties.
CoG chair Wycliffe Oparanya said while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the chamber headquarters in Nairobi that the agreement will promote cooperation and understanding between county governments and the business community.
Under the agreement, the parties will undertake joint trade and investment activities as well as business policy reforms, capacity building, information sharing, and technical programmes.
Ngatia said the agreement provides a platform to support and strengthen trade and investment programmes across the counties.
“This is an opportunity for KNCCI county chapters and county governments to access precise and accurate information for the promotion of business partnerships, understanding of business procedures and the applicable laws in the counties,” he said.
Under the agreement, the counties and the business community will support and engage in joint trade and investment activities, business policy reforms, capacity building, information sharing and technical programmes.
Oparanya said the MoU will ensure tax harmonisation in the counties, thus creating an enabling environment for the SMEs post Covid-19.
“The Council of Governors will continue to collaborate with KNCCI to revive all the SMEs affected by this pandemic as we are about to re-open our economy. With the capacity within KNCCI, we can work together to develop a harmonised taxation regime,” Oparanya, who is also the Kakamega governor, said.
The MoU renewed a partnership first signed in 2015 between the chamber and the council.
The 2015 MoU resulted in joint investment and trade conferences in 16 counties and business forums in 38 counties.